Planning for every season
The guidelines ask for activity every week of the year, and the weather does not always cooperate. This guide brings together what federal agencies say about being active, or simply being outside, in heat, cold, storms and poor air, and where Allegheny County publishes its own air quality information. It deliberately makes no claims about Pittsburgh's climate. For forecasts and warnings, use the National Weather Service and official local sources.
Weather affects some people more than others. The National Weather Service says older adults, young children, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women are at higher risk in extreme heat. The CDC lists older adults without proper food, clothing or heating, and people who stay outdoors for long periods, among those at higher risk in the cold. If you are in one of these groups, the advice below matters more, and so does talking with a health professional about what is safe for you.
Hot days
The National Weather Service describes heat as very taxing on the body: it can lead to heat-related illness or make existing health conditions worse. The CDC's guidance on heat and health includes these steps that apply directly to physical activity:
- Choose the time. Do outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day or evening, if possible.
- Drink water. Carry a water bottle and drink and refill it through the day. The CDC suggests considering limiting drinks high in sugar or sodium, caffeine and alcohol, and notes that light yellow or clear urine usually means you are drinking enough.
- Know the signs. If your body gets too hot you can get sick. The CDC advises learning the symptoms of overheating and knowing when to seek medical care, and watching for them when you are outside on hot days.
- Check the forecast for heat risk. The CDC points to its HeatRisk dashboard, searchable by zip code, and suggests checking air quality as well when you plan your week.
- Check on others. The CDC asks people to check on family, friends and neighbors, especially those who live alone or have chronic medical problems.
Medicines matter too. The CDC notes that many medicines can make you dehydrated or overheated on hot days, and that you should not stop or change your medicines without talking to your doctor. If you take regular medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist how heat and exercise affect you.
The CDC also says people over 65 and young children may need to take additional steps on hot days. The older adults guide has more on activity after 65.
Cold and wet days
Cold weather is not a reason to stop being active, but it changes what to wear and what to watch for. The National Weather Service warns that cold air combined with wind can produce dangerously cold wind chill values.
The CDC's advice on going outside in cold weather is to dress properly. Its list includes:
- a hat, and a scarf or knit mask that covers your face and mouth;
- mittens or gloves;
- a water-resistant coat and water-resistant boots;
- several layers of loose-fitting clothing.
The CDC adds that the body parts most often affected by frostbite, the nose, ears, toes, cheeks, chin and fingers, should be covered in warm, dry clothing.
One point is especially relevant to exercise. The CDC says hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures but can happen at cool temperatures, above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat or cold water. A long walk or run that leaves you soaked with sweat on a cool, windy day is exactly that situation. Layers that can be removed as you warm up, and dry clothes afterward, help.
Warning signs the CDC lists
For hypothermia in adults: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. For frostbite: redness or pain in a skin area may be the first sign, followed by white or grayish-yellow skin, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy, and numbness. The CDC treats hypothermia as a medical emergency. If you see these signs, get medical help.
Winter storms and thunderstorms
The CDC notes that winter storms can bring cold temperatures, power failures, loss of communication services and icy roads, which can make being outside dangerous, so you should limit your time outside during them. It adds that staying indoors as much as possible can help reduce the risk of car crashes and falls on ice. On a storm day, the safer choice is usually to move your activity indoors.
Thunderstorms are a separate risk. The National Weather Service notes that although most lightning occurs in summer, people can be struck at any time of year. Its lightning safety pages give safety tips for many kinds of situations and are worth reading before you plan regular outdoor activity in storm season.
Air quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index (AQI), published on AirNow, is the standard way to describe outdoor air quality and its health effects. According to AirNow:
- The AQI has six color-coded categories. The higher the number, the more pollution and the greater the health concern.
- Values at or below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory.
- Above 100, air quality is unhealthy: first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as values rise.
- The AQI covers five major pollutants, including particle pollution and ozone.
AirNow publishes activity guides on ways to protect your health when the AQI reaches unhealthy levels, and a fire and smoke map for wildfire smoke. If you have a heart or lung condition, ask your doctor how air quality should affect your activity plans.
Local air data for Allegheny County
The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) runs an air quality program and publishes local data on its official website. According to ACHD's air quality page:
- Its air quality dashboard shows an AQI averaged over a rolling 24 hours and updated hourly.
- It publishes an air quality forecast and dispersion outlook report for the county, updated on weekdays before noon.
- Hourly readings for its monitoring locations are available for people who want more detail.
- Air quality in the Mon Valley remains a particular focus of its program.
Note that the dashboard's 24-hour average describes the past day, not the next hour, so it is best read alongside a forecast when you plan a long outdoor session. For statewide information, ACHD points to Pennsylvania's air quality forecast.
An indoor backup plan
The CDC's advice for older adults has a simple rule that suits anyone: if it is too hot, cold or wet to be outside, try walking in a mall or look for an online fitness program you can do at home. Strength activity is especially easy to move indoors; see the strength guide. Public indoor options, such as the City of Pittsburgh's recreation centers, are described from official pages in the public places guide.
A practical approach is to keep two versions of each week in mind: an outdoor plan for good days and an indoor plan for bad ones, so that a heat warning, an icy morning or a poor AQI reading changes where you move, not whether you move.